Petitioners working to put a ballot question about the sale and lease of city assets before voters are one step closer this morning.

City Clerk Mike Hanlon announced Wednesday night that he and his staff had verified 2,000 signatures collected by the group, enough to send the issue to Allentown City Council's agenda.

Last week, petitioners submitted 100 petitions containing over 4,000 signatures in support of a ballot question that could give voters a say if the city attempts to sell or lease an asset over $10,000. At least 2,000 signatures were needed to put the issue before council, according to the city's Home Rule Charter.

The petitioning group was mobilized in response to
Mayor Ed Pawlowski's plan to privatize the city's water and sewer
systems. Pawlowski has proposed a 50-year lease of the two utilities in exchange for a lump sum payment that could be put toward the city's underfunded employee pension plans.

Hanlon had 20 days after the signatures were submitted to verify them against a database from Lehigh County voter registration.

According to a news release from the petitioners, the ballot question will be introduced at December council meeting. Council will have 60 days to act on it.

The earliest that the question could appear on the ballot would be the 2013 primary in May, but council is expected to consider a water and sewer lease contract in late January or early February. Organizer Dan Poresky said that the signatures should send a message to council that the citizens of Allentown oppose the lease.

"It shows clearly that this is what the people want," Poresky said last week.

Photo: Members of the petition committee deliver 100 petitions to City Clerk Mike Hanlon.